Within the past week, extremely cold weather has set in the Midwest in what is being called a polar vortex. The cold has broken records-in Illinois, “temperatures dipped to minus 31, breaking a previous record of minus 27 from Jan. 10, 1982” according to the New York Times. At least 21 deaths are believed to have resulted from the cold and are being investigated.

The cold has crept eastward, reaching even to New York. Haley Kurtzberg, a high school student and resident of New York, commented that she doesn’t “think it’s been this cold in a few years.” Amidst a sea of school cancellations and closed shops, Kurtzberg lamented that “unfortunately,” her school has remained open and running, even though she thought “there would be some [snow days] since some students walk to school.”

Among the victims are animals, students, and the homeless population.

The polar vortex is not new-here’s how it works: there is a large area of low pressure surrounding the north pole. Cold winter weather expands this so-called vortex, causing the freezing temperatures currently plaguing the Midwest, according to the national Weather Service.

Here in Eastvale, we have been experiencing some precipitation of our own, through not nearly as extreme as that in the Midwest. It just rained on Thursday, and  Jailene Pantoja, a junior, was caught off guard by the rain: “there was lightning and thunder…I  honestly thought  thought it was just going  to rain for a little bit.” One student complained that their socks got wet due to the rain’s intensity.

More rain is predicted to come to Eastvale until  Tuesday, but the cold snap should give way to warmer-or less cold-weather next week.